parker



Jan. 20, 1925.

L. E. PARKER MACHINE FOR FILLING BOXES 3 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed April 10, 1924 Jan, 20, 1925.

L. E. PARKER MACHINE FOR FILLING BOXES Filed April 10, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheen, 2

li. U/ I- L. E. PARKER MACHINE FOR FILLING BOXES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 10, 1924 Patented Jan. 20, 1925.

LUCIAN E.

MACHINE FOB FILLING- Application filed April 10, 1924.

To (4Z7 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUCIAN E. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at adsworth, in the county of Medina and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in lvlachines for Filling Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Various mechanisms have been devised for measuring matches in appropriate quantities for filling, and for depositing such quantities of matches in, the trays of match boxes. All of these devices with which I am familiar use means for measuring the matches in proper quantities which are positively forced into a mass or stream of matches. Devices of this type have disadvantages, from a practical standpoint, among which are breaking of the match splints and firing of the matches.

The object of my invention is to provide a device for separating appropriately measured quantities of matches from a mass or stream of matches, and for depositing same in the trays of match boxes, the quantities measured being such as to provide the desired even filling of the trays, and the device being so constructed, and so operating as to eliminate breaking of the match splints and firing of th matches.

To this end the invention consists in a machine for filling the trays of match boxes, comprising essentially a trough into which matches are discharged from a match machine and down which they are fed by gravity assisted by vibration of the trough,

and the combination with this trough of a measuring and depositing device comprising a rotating member carrying a plurality of blades or paddles adapted for free radial movement with respect to the rotating member and to each other whereby, during the rotation of the rotating member, the blades or paddles will gradually and of their own weight, work their way or gravitate into and through the stream of matches descending the trough, to thereby measure predetermined.

quantities of matches and separate them from the mass of matches in the stream, combined with atravelling conveyor carrying a plurality of match box trays arranged to pass beneath said rotating member and the trays so carried receiving the thus measured matches from said rotating member, as I will proceed now to explain and finally claim.

ATENT OFFICE.

PARKER, OF WADSWOR'I'H, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHIO MATCH COM- IPANY, OF WADSWORTH, 01-110, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

BOXES.

Serial No. 705,675.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary central longitudinal. sectional elevation of the measuring device and associated parts, illustrating the operation of the device. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse central vertical section taken through the center of the rotating member and other parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing four of the blades or paddles of the rotating member and the manner of their assembly.

The device as illustrated, has a table 1 supported upon suitable legs or stands 2 and provided with a channel or way 3 in which runs a conveyor chain 1- provided with fingers 5 adapted to convey the match box trays. This conveyor chain is carried by similar sprockets 6 mounted upon shaft 7 arranged at the opposite ends of the table 1 and driven by worm gearing 8 from a shaft 9.

The shaft 9 is driven through a clutch 10 by means of any appropriate gearing such as a sprocket 11 which may derive motion through a chain (not shown) from any appropriate source of power. Arranged in suitable stands 12 supported by the table 1 is a trough 13 having an inclined bottom 14, and connected through a link 15 and shaker head 16 with a motor or other power device 17 by which a rapid longitudinal vibration may be. imparted to the trough. Adjustment of the shaker head to vary the length of the vibratory stroke imparted to the link 15 and through it to the trough 13 may be accomplished by means of the slot and bolt connections 18. Suspended in the trough 13 upon a pivot 19 is a flexible weight or hold down member 20 adapted to rest upon and compact the stream of matches descending the trough;

For the purpose of measuring the matches in predetermined fixed quantities, and for depositing such measured quantities of matches in the box trays carried by the conveyor 4, I provide a measuring device comprising a rotating member 21 formed of a pair of disks 22 and 23 slotted as at 24 to receive a plurality, preferably eight, of blades or paddles 25. The rotating member 21 is supported upon a shaft 26 carried in a bearing 27 supported upon the table 1, and is driven by means of a worm and wheel gearing28 from the shaft 9 by the chain and sprocket gearing indicated at 29.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3, 4t and 5, the rotating member 21 has its disks 22 and 23 recessed as at 30 to form abutments, and the blades or paddles 25 are shouldered. asiat 31 to form stops for cooperation with the ab'iitinent's, "Thefends of the bladesor paddles 25 are bevelled as at 32 to form substantially "sharp edg'es to facilitate their entrance into the stream of matches, as will be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

As hereinbefore indicated, I use preferably eight 'of the blades or paddles 25 and they are formedas indicated in Fig.- 5 so as to be easily assem'bledfin the rotating member and be capable of sliding, movementwith :respectto each other and to'the rotating member. The format-ion of these blades or paddles and their assembly, as'indicated in Fig. 5, is as fol'lows:

Tlie'blade 25 is recessed centrally of its length to -;an extent substantially seveneighthsof itswidthfas at 33, thus leaving a cdnnecting portion- 84 of approximately oneeighth ofit's width.- This blade is arranged against theinnersideii of the di'slr23. The next blade 25 is recessed upon both of its sides, so asto provide a connecting portion 36 arranged one-eighth-of the width of the bladefrom one side thereof and siX-eighths of'its'width from'the other side. The next blade 25"is'recesse'don both of its sides so as to *leave its connecting portion '37, two eighths of the width of the bl'ade from one of theisides thereof and five-'eighth's of its Width-from its other side. The next blade E25 is'reces'sedfupon both of its side's'so as to leave itsconnect-ing portion 38, three-eighths of'the ividtlrof tli'e blade from one side thereof and four eighths of its width from its other side. It will be seen that the combined Widths of the connecting portions 34, 36, 37 and 3 8of these four blades constitutes oneh'alfof the width of the blades aiid occupies one-hailf'of the width of the rotatingmemher. The remaining four blades 25, 25, 25, and 25 are exactly like theblades 25, 25 25 and 25, but. are so reversed that the connecting portion 34"0f the blade 25 lies at the outside of the disk 22 and the connecting portions 36, 37 and 38 are nested against it. This arrangement of the blades or paddles 25permits their freeindependent radial movement to an extent limited by cooperation'b'et ween the shoulders 31 and the abutm'en'ts 30 and this movement is sufiicient to allow the bevel portions 32 of the blades machine and deposited in the trough 13 have their heads lying all in one direction, and consequentlythe stream of matches at the head ends of the matches is of greater height above the bottom of the trough than it is at the opposite ends of the matches, and to compensate for this difference, I taper the peripheral face of, the rotating member as indicated at 39 and provide an oti'set 40 to accommodate the match heads.

The bottom'l-l of the reciprocating trough 13 is continued by means of an inclined and curved portion 41 which extends around and beneath the, rotating member, and beneath this portion ll is arranged a stationary bottom member 41 which extends slightly beyond the portion. 4-1 and terminates in a discharge end 42 lyingsubstantially beneath the axial center of the rotating member. This member -11, being stationary tends to deaden the vibration of the matches as they leave the portion 41. The bottom portion 4*] is spaced at such a. distance from the periphery of the rotating member as to accommodate the blades or paddles 25 when they have gravitated through the stream of matches-and are i'n'their fully extended position, a'nd,'as will be seen, the'spaces delimited by the adjacent faces of successive blades or paddles, the peripheral face of the rotating member and the portion 41 are .of just sufiicient size to hold thepredetermined quantity of matches necessary to fill successive box trays.

As thesrotating member rotates, and the blades or paddle's gravitate through the stream of matches, the matches will be measured in the requisite predetermined quantities for filling the traysand therotation of the rotatingmember and the feed of the tray conveying chain are so timed that a tray will be arranged in position at the discharge end 42 of the portion 41 to receive the matches advanced between two of the blades or paddles as they fall from the discharge end a2.

It is desirable tocause the matches to vibrate slightly after they have left the vibrating trouglrbotton'i at 41 and are carried by the member 451, and for this purpose the sides 43 of the trough are extended as at 44 (see Fig. 3) and continue this desired agitationorvibration of thematchcs. This vibration assists in the gravitation of the blades or paddles 25 through the stream of matches and aids their compacting in the spaces provided between -adjacent blades.

It will be obvious that,'due'to the arrangement of the drive ofthc mc'zis'nring device as described, the operation of the device may be discontinued at any time, withoutinterruption tothe operationof other machines connect'ed with and sup'plei'nenting the match machine proper, by manipulation of the clutch 10, inasmuch as all of the parts of the measuring device are driven from the same shaft 9.

The vibration of the trough 13 is preterably constant, but it the need should arise, its vibration may be discontinued by stopping the motor 17 i I have hereinbefore described this meas uring device as particularly applicable to the measuring of matches, and the device as shown is so designed, but it is obvious that it is capable of efiicient operation in measuring articles other than matches.

Various changes may be made in the construction and operation of the machine Without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is 1. In a box filling machine, a measuring device, and a trough adapted to continuously receive matches and to convey them to said measuring device, said measuring device including means adapted to gravitate through the matches fed by said trough for the purpose of measuring them in predetermined quantities.

2. In a box filling machine, a measuring device, and a trough adapted to continuously receive matches and to convey them to said measuring device, said measuring device including a plurality of blades adapted to gravitate through the matches fed by said trough for the purpose of measuring same in predetermined quantities.

3. In a box filling machine, a measuring device, and a trough adapted to continuously receive and feed matches to said measuring device, said measuring device comprising a rotating member carrying a plurality of blades adapted upon the rotation of said member to successively gravitate through the matches fed by said trough and to thereby successively measure said matches in predetermined quantities.

4. In a box filling machine, a measuring device, a trough adapted to continuously receive matches and to feed them to said measuring device, and a conveyor for coir veying box trays beneath said measuring device, said measuring device including a rotating member provided With a plurality of blades adapted upon the rotation of said member to gravitate through the matches fed to it by said trough and to measure said matches in predetermined quantities and to successively deposit such predetermined quantities of matches in the successive trays carried by said conveyor.

5. In a box filing machine, a measuring device, means for feeding matches in a continuous stream to said measuring device, and box tray carrying means arranged in cooperative relation to said measuring device, said n'ieasuring device comprising a rotating member provided With means adapted to gravitate through the stream of matches to measure the matches in predetermined quantities and to deposit such quantities of matches in the trays carried by said tray carrying means.

6. In a box filling machine, a measuring device, a trough adapted to continuously receive matches and to continuously feed such matches in a stream to said measuring device, means for vibrating said trough for the purpose of feeding said matches therethrough, and a box tray conveyor arranged for travel beneath said measuring device and adapted to convey a plurality of box trays beneath same, said measuring device comprising a rotating member provided with a plurality of independently relatively movable blades arranged to gravitate through the stream of matches during the rotation of said rotating member, whereby said matches are successively measured in predetermined quantities and successively deposited in such quantities in the trays carried by said conveyor.

7. In a box filling machine, a measuring device, and a trough adapted to continuous ly receive matches and feed same to said measuring device, said measuring device comprising a rotating member formed of a pair of complementally slotted disks, and a plurality of relatively slidable blades carried by said disks and arranged diametrically thereof and adapted under the influence of gravity to successively project through the openings provided by said slots and to gravitate through the matches ted by said trough to measure said matches into predetermined quantities, for the purpose specified.

8. In a boX filling machine, a measuring device and a trough adapted to continuously receive matches and feed same to said measuring device, said measuring device comprising a rotating member formed of a pair of disks provided with complemental slots, a plurality of relatively slidable blades arranged dian'ietrically of said rotating member and capable of sliding movement through the openings formed by said slots, and means for limiting the sliding movement of said blades With respect to said disks, whereby during the rotation of said rotating member, said blades Will successively gravitate through the matches fed by said trough and Will measure said matches in predetermined quantities.

9. In a box filling machine, a measuring device, a trough adapted to continuously receive matches and to deliver same to said measuring device, and a boX tray conveyor travelling beneath said measuring device, said measuring device comprising a pair of complementally slotted disks united to form a rotating member, and a plurality of relatively slidable blades assembled between said disks and capable of radial movement through said slots under the iniiuence of gravity, Whereby during the rotation of said rotating member said blades will suecessively gravitate through the matches fed by sai'd'trough and will measure and deliver same in predeterminecl quantities to the trays carried by said conveyor.

10. In a box filling machine, a measuring device, a trough adapted'to continuously receive matches and deliver same to said measuringdevice, said trough having an inclined bottom, means for imparting vibration to said trough, the bottom of said trough terminating adjacent to said measuring device, and a. stationary bottom member forming a continuation of the bottom of said trough and extending beneath said measuring device and provided with a discharge end, said measuring device comprising a rotating member provided with a plurality of gravity actuated blades adapted during the rotation of said member to gravitate through the matches upon said stationary bottom memher and to measure said matches in predetermined quantities and discharge them from the discharge end of said stationary bottom member.

11. In a. box filling machine, a measuring device, 'a trough adapted to continuously receive matches and deliver same to said measuring device, said trough having an inclined bottom, means for imparting vibration to said-trough, the bottom or said trough terminating adjacent to said measuring device, a stationary bottom member forming a continuat-ion of the bottom of saidtrough and extending beneath said measuring device and provided With a discharge end, s'aid measuring device comprising a rotating member provided with atplurality of gravity actuated blades adapted during the rotation of said member to gravitate successively through the matches upon said stationary bottom member and to measure said matches in predetermined quantities anddischarge them from the discharge end of said stationary bottom member, and means for imparting vibration to said matches after they leave the bottom of the trough and while they are carried by said stationary bottom member.

12. Inabox filling machine, a measuring dev'ce, a trough adapted to continuously receive matches and deliver same to said mcasuring device, said trough having an inclined bottom and sides, means for imparting vibration to said trough, thebottom of said trough terminating adjacent to said meas' uring device, a stationary bottom member forming a continuation of the bottom of said trough and extending beneath said measuring device and provided With a-discharge end, said measuring device comprisingra rotatingmemberprovidedwith a pluralit-y of gravity actuated blades adapted during the rotation ol said member to gran itate successively through the matches upon said stationary bottom member and to measure s'aid matches in predetermined quantities and discharge them from the discharge end of said stationary bottommember,,and

means carried by the trough sides for i]ll parting vibration to said matches utter they leave thebottom of the trough and while they are carried by said stationary bottom member.

13. In a box filling machine, a measuring device, a trough adapted to continuously receive matches and deliver same to said measuring device, said trough having an inclined bottom, means for imparting vibration to said trough, the bottom of said trough terminating adjacent to said measuring device, a stationary inclined bottom member iliorming a continuation of the bottom of said trough and extending beneath s'aid measuring device and provided with a discharge end, said measuring device com prising a rotating men'lber provided with a plurality of gravity actuated blades adapted during the rotation of said member to gravitate through the matches upon said stationary bottom member and to measure said matches in predetermined quantities and discharge them from the discharge end of said stationary member, and a weight suspended in said trough and resting upon the matches therein for the purpose of compacting said matches as they approach said measuring device.

14. In a box filling machine, a measuring device, a trough adapted to continuously re ceive matches and deliver same to said measing device, said atrough having an inclined bottom, means for imparting vibration to said trough, the bottom of said trough terminating adjacent to said measuring device, a stationary bot-tom member forming a con tinuat-ion of the bottom of said trough and extending beneath said measuring device and provided with a discharge end. said measuring device comprising a rotating member provided with a plurality of gravity actuated blades adapted upon the rotation of said member to gravitate through the matches upon said stationary bottom member and to measure said matches in prede termined quantities and discharge. them from the discharge end of said stationary member, and a flexible weight suspended in said trough and adapted to compact the matches therein as they approach said measuring device.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of April A. D. 192

LUCIAN E. PARKEP.

Witnesses J. A. CRUMWINE. W. H. SHENK. 

